Feeding your pregnant mare??

[AllyEquestrian]

Hey, first time breeder here and i wanted to know peoples opinions on 'bucket feeding' your pregnant mares. Some people say feed stud mix the day your mare is scanned in foal, others say wait until her last few months and some say nothing at all as long as the mare is getting good grass/haylage. My Vet has encouraged me to wait until the last 3 months, which happens to be on friday (gone in crazy fast). I guess it's too late now to start as soon as she's scanned in foal haha but i'm intrigued to know everyone's thoughts. Cal has had access to good grass, haylage and mineral lick(s)!

What feed do you guys recommend?

Thanks

 

[Escada2004]

Ive spoken to my vet and a few of my experienced breeder friends as i was not too sure about what to feed my mare either. Im going to wait until the last 3 months as my mare is such a good doer and worried about her getting too fat with the amount you have to feed to get the right amount of vitamins etc in to them. So ive decided to stick to the good grass/hay and her basic feed and add the Naf Mare and foal supplement. Your mare looks like she holds her weight well to so you could just go down the same route i am, but obviously a photo can be misleading. Go with your gut, if you think weight wise she is fine on what she is currently on, use a supplement rather than pumping her full of stud mix, but if you think she could do with more than go that route. Sorry i cant recommend an actual feed but there are so many out there, may be worth asking your vet what they would recommend, or a breeding pro on here may be able to recommend something sorry not masses of help

 

[PorkChop]

For me she looks like she is carrying enough weight. I would only feed hard feed if they need it, I stick with the best grass and haylage I can

Good luck

 

[JanetGeorge]

With all mine (mainly Irish Draughts but also IDSH and the odd TB) I feed haylage and mineral licks unil about 3 weeks before foaling - and then introduced Bailey's Stud Balancer (at a MUCH lower rate than recommended!) I've never had a weak or undersized foal - oversize is much more common! And they have all had good milk supplies!

 

[ihatework]

My vet reccomends feeding them 'as you normally would' for the first 2 trimesters. This will of course vary according according to the mare, for mine it was nothing but chaff and a bit/min supplement.

Last trimester it is still pretty dependant on the mare in front of you, but this is the time when the foal does the bulk of growing so a stud balancer or vit/min in Alfa a is pretty standard. I'd only be turning to stud mix on a mare looking poor and even then it would be a last resort.

IMO, and I'm happy to be corrected, but I would want your mare carrying a little less weight so I wouldn't go overboard on the feeding.

 

[popsdosh]

My vet reccomends feeding them 'as you normally would' for the first 2 trimesters. This will of course vary according according to the mare, for mine it was nothing but chaff and a bit/min supplement.

Last trimester it is still pretty dependant on the mare in front of you, but this is the time when the foal does the bulk of growing so a stud balancer or vit/min in Alfa a is pretty standard. I'd only be turning to stud mix on a mare looking poor and even then it would be a last resort.

IMO, and I'm happy to be corrected, but I would want your mare carrying a little less weight so I wouldn't go overboard on the feeding.

Totally agree re the mare she certainly doesnt needs hard feed. The biggest issue feeding in the last 3 months is the foal will take most and grow bigger than ideal. would always feel happier with a smaller foal than a bigger one. All my TBs get is haylage not even a balancer as history tells me I dont need too.